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Neal McIntosh's avatar

Neal McIntosh

NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region

"To learn more about orca recovery."

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 622 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    100
    minutes
    spent outdoors
  • UP TO
    1.0
    advocacy action
    completed
  • UP TO
    1.0
    tree
    planted
  • UP TO
    80
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    380
    gallons of water
    have been saved

Neal's actions

Water

Calculate My Water Footprint

I will calculate my water footprint at https://www.watercalculator.org/ I will use the information gathered from that to think more about my water habits.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Water

5-Minute Showers

I will save up to 20 gallons (75 L) of water each day by taking 5-minute showers to minimize my water footprint, as in many watersheds, a drop for me is one less for salmon, which then warms streams or impairs salmon streamflows.

COMPLETED 19
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Do Nature Activities

I will engage in nature-based activities alone, or with my friends or family, for 5 minute(s) each day to connect with the shared ecosystem in which I live and rely on. (This can be anything from going on a walk or hike, to noticing the leaves changing color, to reading a book with nature themes.)

COMPLETED 20
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Plant Trees

I will plant 1 tree(s) in my community, public parks, or backyard to combat climate change and reduce stormwater impacts to Puget Sound and/or Pacific Ocean.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

I will be Whale Wise as a Marine Boater or Paddler

I will spend 15 minutes learning about local marine laws pertaining to orcas, responsible boat maintenance techniques, and will follow the Be Whale Wise guidelines.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn More about Food Deserts

I will spend 15 minutes learning about food deserts and find out how I can advocate for healthy and fresh Puget Sound food in my region.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Learn about boat noise impacts

I will spend 15 minutes learning about how boat noice impacts Orcas and then I will change my boating habits to reduce my impact.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Education

How does my local government support Orcas?

I will spend 10 learning about how my government is supporting watershed and orca health and encourage them to do more.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Support Pollution Reduction

I will spend 15 minutes learning about water and air quality issues in my area, how they are impacting orca and environmental health, and how I can help.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Education

Educate my family or friends

Spend 10 minutes educating my family/friends about Southern Resident Orca Whales and their endangered food supply.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Education

Share my connection with Orcas through art

I will make a piece of art that connects my life to the life of Orcas and Salmon, and share it on social media.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed

Reflection, encouragement, and relationship building are all important aspects of getting a new habit to stick.
Share thoughts, encourage others, and reinforce positive new habits on the Feed.

To get started, share “your why.” Why did you join the challenge and choose the actions you did?

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Water 5-Minute Showers
    Five minute showers are an impressive step toward reducing your water footprint. What is the next step you can take?

    Neal McIntosh's avatar
    Neal McIntosh 11/05/2020 11:36 AM
    I think that finding other small ways to reduce water use is helpful. I probably still have some ways to improve on this one.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Transportation Learn about boat noise impacts
    Do you know how orcas communicate? If you found your food, communicated with your family, learned of safety all through sound, but that sound was interrupted or muffled on a regular basis, would you imagine that to impact your ability to eat and navigate?

    Neal McIntosh's avatar
    Neal McIntosh 11/05/2020 11:34 AM
    I spent some time learning about boat noise impacts. It would be very tough to have to rely on sound to find food and for communication and then be interrupted or muffled. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Learn More about Food Deserts
    What are the implications of access to nutritious food for a community?

    Neal McIntosh's avatar
    Neal McIntosh 11/03/2020 3:36 PM
    As someone who loves to eat, food deserts make me really sad. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Nature Do Nature Activities
    What did you observe while spending time outside -- through sight, sound, smell and touch?

    Neal McIntosh's avatar
    Neal McIntosh 11/03/2020 3:31 PM
    It's been nice to see the trees changing colors. The birds were very chirpy today too. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Transportation I will be Whale Wise as a Marine Boater or Paddler
    Why do you love spending time on the water? What draws you to paddle and boating? What are you hoping to see? What memories of wildlife leave an infinite impression on you?

    Neal McIntosh's avatar
    Neal McIntosh 11/02/2020 10:34 AM
    It was always cool to see dolphins when I was out on the boat with my family. One of my coolest memories was watching an alligator and an egret stalk each other - the egret obviously had no idea how big the alligator truly was. The egret eventually realized something was amiss and flew off. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Nature Plant Trees
    How is planting trees good for your mental, physical, and spiritual health?

    Neal McIntosh's avatar
    Neal McIntosh 11/02/2020 10:33 AM
    Planted an avocado that I sprouted from a pit. It was super cool to take something that had been "waste" and have it become a plant.